By Ken Chaplin, ContributorTWO OF the other notable steps taken by the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) were the establishment of a code of ethics and the Seprod Awards for outstanding work in journalism.
The preamble to the code of ethics maintains that the profession of journalism in Jamaica has as its fundamental objectives those of serving the collective interests of all the people of the country and affirming and defending human rights, and, in general all honest causes.
To help achieve this aim, the PAJ has formulated a code of conduct or rules of behaviour for press, radio and television in Jamaica. In doing so, the association wishes most of all to remind members that the rights, privileges and freedom enjoyed be them are only exerciseable on the understanding that the interest of the general public and the good of the country are and remain paramount and where there is a conflict between the news media's or journalist's rights and the community's interest, the latter shall prevail.
Members are hereby enjoined to refrain from :
Writing or publishing immo-rality and/or obscenity.
Writing or publishing vulgarity aimed at individuals, institutions or groups as well as unwarranted attacks on their personal dignity, honour or prestige.
Writing or publishing exposés on the private lives of individuals not in public life or upon matters which are not in the public interest, but which constitutes unwarranted intrusion.
Insulting or libelling individuals, institutions or groups.
Making offensive references to an individual's race, colour, faith, sex or nationality or indulging in any discrimination in relation thereto.
Writing or publishing news or information which is not based on fact; or slanting or selecting the news to give any particular bias or serve any particular interest.
Revealing or betraying the secrecy of sources of information or news.
While giving publicity to the properly expressed dissent from government policy and actions and to the peaceful and constitutional methods of effecting changes to avoid writing, or publishing matter which may be subversive or harmful to the unity of the people or likely to lead to violence or to a breach of the peace.
Unfortunately, the code of ethics is not widely adhered to and very few journalists, especially the younger ones, are aware of the provisions. The PAJ will have to try and correct this with the help of editors and sub-editors. Today's journalists are more aggressive than those in the distant past.
The Seprod awards have been made every year since its inception in 1964.
The first winners were:
Ulric D. Simmonds Outstanding News Story Award (newspapers).
Evon Blake Outstanding Public Service Award (newspapers and magazines).
Morris Cargill Outstanding Public Service Award (radio and television)
Audrey Chong Outstanding Public Service Award (any medium)
Vere John Special Honour Prize Award
Barbara Gloudon Cultural Interest Prize.
The primary objective of the awards is to improve the standard of journalism and to a large extent this has been achieved over the years, although there is room for improvement. For example, some reporters need to pay more attention to accuracy. One should not forget the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) has played and continues to pay in the improvement of the craft of journalists in all media, especially print.
REAL ESTATE ASSESTS
The association has done well in real estate assets over the years mainly through the stewardship of Theodore Sealy as a trustee who served as president for a total of 11 years.
The first property it owned was at 101 Water Lane in downtown Kingston, which housed its headquarters and Jamaica Press Club for many years.
The rationale behind the establishment of the Club was that it would provide a meeting place for journalists and their friends where they could enjoy, under their 'own vine and fig tree', so to speak, the amenities of social fraternity.
At its peak in the 1960s, the Press Club had a membership of 290 including members of the association. Those were the days when leaders of many professions particularly the legal profession as well as businessmen like Abe Issa and Sir Robert Kirkwood were members.
A lot of liquor flowed over the bar at the Club in the early days where members who were not disposed to hard liquor could take a soft drink and disappear in a reading room or go to the library where there were a stock of more than 200 books and a qualified librarian. People liked the Press Club for frank discussion because there was an unwritten rule that anything said there must remain within its four walls.
Internationally, the association had strong links with the Inter-American Association of Working Journalists and its successor the Inter-American Federation of Journalists, Inter-national Institute of Journalists and Caribbean Media Workers' Association.
In spite of the vagaries of its existence, the PAJ has served the journalism profession and country well.
Ken Chaplin was secretary of the Press Association of Jamaica from 1959-1977.
